Lubricant supply system for rotary piston engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary piston internal combustion engine, especially of trochoidal construction, which essentially consists of lateral parts, of at least one casing housing, in case of multi-disc internal combustion engines of one or several intermediate parts, of a piston rotating in the casing housing which slides along a multi-arched running surface of the casing and of a lubricating system for lubricating the running surface of the casing, the lubricating system itself consists of oil channels of which at least one terminates within the area of the running surface of the casing between the end flanks of the casing housing and the adjacent lateral or intermediate part.

United States Patent 11 1 Dobler Oct. 29, 1974 [5 1 LUBRICANT SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR 3,359,952 12/1967 Jones et a]. 418/60 ROTARY I ON ENGINE 3,420,214 1/1969 Bensinger et al. 418/97 [75] Inventor: Helmut Dobler, Esslingen/Neckar, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany 1,196,914 7/1965 Germany 123/8.01

[73] Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft,

Stuttgart Germany Primary Exammer-John J. Vrablrk [22] F1 d A 26 1971 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & Antonelli 1 e ug.

[21] Appl. No.: 175,212 [57] ABSTRACT A rotary piston internal combustion engine, especially of trochoidal construction, which essentiall consists [30] Foreign Appllcation Priority Data 1 Au 27 1970 German 2042536 of lateral parts, of at least one casing housing, in case y of multi-disc internal combustion engines of one or [52] U 8 Cl 418,97 several intermediate parts, of a piston rotating in the [51] m c 29/02 casing housing which slides along a multi-arched run- [58] Fie'ld 418/6l 97 98 ning surface of the casing and of a lubricating system 23 for lubricating the running surface of the casing, the lubricating system itself consists of oil channels of hich at least one terminates within the area of the [56] References Cited w runnmg surface of the casmg between the end flanks UNITED STATES PATENTS of the casing housing and the adjacent lateral or inter- 3,245,386 4/1966 Bentele 418/99 mediate part 3,273,544 9/1966 Bensinger et al. 418/61 3,312,387 4/1967 Cassidy et a1 418/97 9 Clanns, 4 Drawing Figures Pmmenmze m4 3.844.691

mm m 2 v v TOR HELMU 0 BLER ATTORNEYS LUBRICANT SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PISTON ENGINE The present invention relates to a rotary piston internal combustion engine, especially of trochoidal construction, essentially consisting of lateral parts, of at least one casing housing, in case of multi-disc internal combustion engines of one or several intermediate parts, of a piston rotating in the casing housing which slides along a multi-arched running surface, and of a lubricating system provided for the lubrication of the running surface of the casing.

Such types of rotary piston internal combustion engines with lubricating installations are provided with an annular gap, disposed between the walls of the inlet channel arranged in the casing housing and the walls of a bushing inserted into the inlet channel, from which gap the lubricating oil is discharged and is taken along by the sealing bars of the piston sliding along the run ning surface of the casing. This type of lubricant feed is disadvantageous because the running surface of the casing is preferredly supplied with lubricating oil. How ever, in order to supply the lateral area of the running or engaging surface of the casing, the sealing bolts and the sealing bars uniformly with lubricating oil, the present invention is concerned with the task to provide a lubricating installation improved without large expenditures and completely satisfying all requirements, which also no longer makes necessary any structural limitations as regards the construction and configuration of the inlet channel in the casing housing.

The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention in that the lubricating oil installation consists of oil channels, of which at least one channel terminates within the area of the running surface of the casing between the end flanks of the casing housing and the adjacent lateral part or intermediate part.

In a preferred embodiment the oil channels may be arranged according to the present invention in the casing housing shortly behind or downstream of the inlet channel as viewed in the direction of rotation of the piston.

In an advantageous construction of the present invention'a first oil channel may be arranged in the longitudinal direction of the internal combustion engine and parallel to the running surface of the casing and a second oil channel may branch off in the center of the first oil channel.

According to the present invention the casing housing may possess a smaller width within the area between the running surface of the casing and the first oil channel to form the discharge openings.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary piston internal combustion engine, especially of trochoidal construction, which avoids the aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

Another object of the present invention resides in the rotary piston internal combustion engine, especially of trochoidal construction, which possesses an improved lubricating system uniformly supplying not only the central area of the running surfaces of the casing with lubricating oil but also the lateral area of the running surfaces as well as the sealing bolts and sealing bars.

A further object of the present invention resides in a lubricating system for rotary piston internal combustion engines of the aforementioned type which imposes no structural limitations concerning the construction and configuration of the inlet channel in the casing housing.

These and further objects, features and advantages of .the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of a casing housing provided with a lubricating installation according to the present invention of a rotary piston internal engine;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view through the lubricating installation according to the present invention, taken along line "-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the casing housing of a rotary piston internal combustion engine of trochoidal construction provided with a lubricating installation according to the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal axial cross-sectional view through a rotary piston internal combustion engine of multi-disc construction provided with a lubricating system in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are used through out the various views to designate like parts, a casing housing 2 of a rotary piston internal combustion engine of conventional trochoidal construction, which is provided in the usual manner with a two-arched engaging or running surface 1 in the casing 2, includes downstream of an inlet channel 4, as viewed in the direction of rotation of a triangular piston 3, a lubricating installation generally designated by reference numeral 5 which consists of oil channels, of which a first oil channel 6 is arranged in the longitudinal (axial) direction of the rotary piston internal combustion engine in proximity to the running surface 1 of the casing 2 (FIG. 2) and parallel thereto, and of which a second oil channel 8, which branches off from the first oil channel 6 in the center thereof, is arranged extending parallel to the two end flanks 7 of the casing housing 2. The casing housing 2, which is connected with the lateral parts 9 or intermediate parts in a gastight manner by means of tie-rods, has a lesser width within the area between the oil channel 6 and the running surface 1 of the casing so that a passage 10 provided for the lubricating oil results at both ends of the oil channel 6 in the direction towards the running surface 1 of the casing which, as can be seen from FIG. 1, is constructed semi-circularly shaped.

A rotary piston internal combustion engine of trochoidal construction equipped with a lubricating system in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in cross-section: in FIG. 3 in which the casing housing 2 is provided with the two-arched running surface 1 along which slides the triangular piston 3 with its corners as it rotates on the eccentric 13 of an eccentric shaft 14. In addition to the inletchannel 4, the engine is also provided with an exhaust channel 11 upstream of the inlet channel 4 as viewed in the direction of rotation of the piston 3. Additionally, a conventional ignition device 12 is also provided for igniting the combustion mixture Since such rotary piston internal combustion engine of trochoidal construction is known as such, a detailed description thereof is dispensed with herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates the application of the lubricating system of the present invention to a multi-disc rotary piston internal combustion engine of trochoidal construction which includes two casing housings 2, each accommodating therewithin a polygonal piston 3 rotating on a respective eccentric 13 of the eccentric shaft 14 in such a manner that the piston corners again slide along the running surface 1. The engine housing includes further two lateral housing parts 9 as well as an intermediate housing part 9'. The casing housings 2 are thereby each provided with axially extending oil channels 6 terminating at both ends thereof in semicircularly-shaped recesses to provide the discharge of lubricating oil at these locations which is supplied by way of the feed bores 8 in communication with the central part of each axial bore 6. 7

While I have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotary piston internal combustion engine comprising:

lateral housing parts,

at least one casing housing disposed adjacent respective ones of said lateral housing parts,

a multi-arched running surface formed on said casing housing,

a piston rotating within the casing housing which slides along said running surface,

and lubricating means for lubricating said running surface,

wherein said lubricating means includes a first rectilinear oil channel means in said casing housing which extends in the axial direction of said engine substantially parallel to said running surface, said first oil channel means terminating at at least one end thereof in an oil discharge opening between an end flank of the casing housing and a respective adjacent housing part,

wherein said first oil channel means terminates at both ends thereof in respective oil discharge openings between respective oppositely facing end flanks of the casing housing and respective adjacent housing parts,

wherein said casing housing has an area of smaller width than its normal width in the axial direction of the engine within the area of the ends of said first oil channel means such that said oil discharge openings are formed between said respective adjacent housing parts and said area of smaller width, and

wherein said area of smaller width is substantially semi-circular shaped as viewed in the axial direction of the engine.

2. A rotary piston internal combustion engine of multi-disc construction having at least one intermediate part, according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective adjacent part is an intermediate part between adjacent discs of the internal combustion engine.

3. A rotary piston internal combustion engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the engine is of trochoidal construction.

4. An engine accordingto claim 1, wherein said oil discharge opening is arranged shortly downstream of an inlet channel in the casing housing, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the piston.

5. An engine according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating means includes a second oil channel means in said casing housing which branches off from said first oil channel means at the center of said first oil channel means.

6. An engine according to claim 1, wherein said semicircular shaped area of smaller width has a greater cross-sectional size than the first oil channel means.

7. An engine according to claim 6, wherein said lubricating means includes a second oil channel means in said casing housing which branches off from said first oil channel means at the center of said first oil channel means.

8. An engine according to claim 6, characterized in that the engine is of trochoidal construction.

9. An engine of multi-piston construction having at least one intermediate part between adjacent pistons, according to claim 6, wherein the respective adjacent parts are intermediate parts between adjacent pistons of the engine. 

1. A rotary piston internal combustion engine comprising: lateral housing parts, at least one casing housing disposed adjacent respective ones of said lateral housing parts, a multi-arched running surface formed on said casing housing, a piston rotating within the casing housing which slides along said running surface, and lubricating means for lubricating said running surface, wherein said lubricating means includes a first rectilinear oil channel means in said casing housing which extends in the axial direction of said engine substantially parallel to said running surface, said first oil channel means terminating at at least one end thereof in an oil discharge opening between an end flank of the casing housing and a respective adjacent housing part, wherein said first oil channel means terminates at both ends thereof in respective oil discharge openings between respective oppositely facing end flanks of the casing housing and respective adjacent housing parts, wherein said casing housing has an area of smaller width than its normal width in the axial direction of the engine within the area of the ends of said first oil channel means such that said oil discharge openings are formed between said respective adjacent housing parts and said area of smaller width, and wherein said area of smaller width is substantially semicircular shaped as viewed in the axial direction of the engine.
 2. A rotary piston internal combustion engine of multi-disc construction having at least one intermediate part, according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective adjacent part is an intermediate part between adjacent discs of the internal combustion engine.
 3. A rotary piston internal combustion engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the engine is of trochoidal construction.
 4. An engine according to claim 1, wherein said oil discharge opening is arranged shortly downstream of an inlet channel in the casing housing, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the piston.
 5. An engine according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating means includes a second oil channel means in said casing housing which branches off from said first oil channel means at the center of said first oil channel means.
 6. An engine according to claim 1, wherein said semi-circular shaped area of smaller width has a greater cross-sectional size than the first oil channel means.
 7. An engine according to claim 6, wherein said lubricating means includes a second oil channel means in said casing housing which branches off from said first oil channel means at the center of said first oil channel means.
 8. An engine according to claim 6, characterized in that the engine is of trochoidal construction.
 9. An engine of multi-piston construction having at least one intermediate part between adjacent pistons, according to claim 6, wherein the respective adjacent parts are intermediate parts between adjacent pistons of the engine. 